Originally posted February 11, 2013 on Runners Health:

Over the past two decades or so, we have been told repeatedly that we should have our recovery drink within 20 minutes after our workout or race. Taking it two hours or more afterwards was considered much too late, almost useless.

To rehydrate as soon as possible feels indeed right, but to have a lot of carbohydrates and proteins on a still contracted stomach can be a bit over the top.

Alan Aragon and Brad Schoenfeld reviewed all the evidence in the latest issue of Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, and concluded that a healthy diet and the usual eating habits are usually enough for a good recovery.

The theory

Carbohydrates

During a hard bout of exercise, you use your glycogen stocks and you disrupt muscle fibres, and as your glycogen stocks are getting empty, you start burning some proteins. During your recovery, you have to rebuild your reserves and repair the damage. Normally your body will “overdo” it, which means that your stocks will become slightly lager and the new muscle fibres stronger. Thanks to a correct balance between exercise and recovery you are becoming a better athlete indeed.

Immediately after a workout that has depleted your glycogen reserves, your muscles are craving for glucose, and they can take up much more than otherwise. During the first hour you are therefore able to rebuild your reserves much quicker than at any time afterwards. If you have your carbohydrates two hours later, the rate of glycogen rebuilding will be 50% slower.

Taking in glucose leads to an increase in blood insulin levels. Insulin is a hormone necessary for the uptake of glucose by cells. It also decreases muscle protein breakdown, and studies have shown that muscle protein breakdown can rapidly increase after exercise. Higher insulin levels are thus beneficial if you want to build up your muscles.

Proteins

Several studies have shown that adding a small amount of proteins makes the process even faster. It would also give you the opportunity to start rebuilding damaged muscles fibres. Proteins are made of amino acids and one of them, leucine, acts as a signal to start the re-synthesis process.

In practice

Glycogen

You will have rebuilt your glycogen stocks within 24 hours, even if you have not been able to have a recovery drink within the first hour. Your new stocks will still be slightly larger than the previous ones; it will only have taken much longer to build them up. The advantages of replenishing them very quickly are not clear. It is certainly important for athletes participating in a multi-day event and for those who want to repeat the same exercise within about 8 hours, but it does not matter if you are taking at least 24 hours rest.

Proteins

The results of studies about the value of amino acids supplements after exercise are controversial. They are very difficult to interpret properly, because they all use different set-ups and products.

In theory, a recovery drink containing amino acids and carbohydrates (leading to high insulin levels) would promote protein synthesis and decrease its breakdown.

On the other hand, after a normally healthy mixed meal it takes insulin at least 3 to 6 hours to drop back to fasting levels, and the amino acids blood levels remain increased for about three hours. It is therefore likely that after your workout, you will still have everything you need in your blood to start your recovery. Having your next meal one or two hours later will be fine.

However, if you train more than three to six hours after your last meal, you will benefit from a carbohydrate-protein recovery drink.

And finally…

Further research is necessary to fully understand the interplay of pre- and post exercise meals.  Moreover, most studies have been carried out on untrained volunteers, and the needs of well-trained athletes might be different. Some studies even suggest that age also influences what you need for an optimal recovery.

What is your experience with recovery drinks?

I think people go overboard on recovery drinks but depending on the circumstances I will take them. Always protein and creatine after lifting, but I will swig 8 or so ounces of some gatorade or powerade after a 10-mile or longer run or if I was sweating buckets. What's funny is I have never thought of downing a protein shake after any type of endurance exercise. If I ever decide to start running more than four miles at a time I might try it for a couple of weeks to see what happens.

Coming from a weight lifting background as well, I tried post-run protein drinks during my first year of running and honestly, I didn't really notice a difference.

Now in my third year of running, I don't really have a recovery drink after most of my runs.  The first thing I go for is water, then about a half hour later I will eat an apple, orange or a banana etc.  There are times when I will drink 8 ounces of silk, but the days of post-run high carb or protein drinks for me are long gone.

The jury is still out on whether this is a good strategy or not, but to this point, I cannot say that not having a traditional recovery drink (4:1 carb to protein ratio) post-run, has been to my detriment.

Very interesting stuff.

I usually time the end of a run to coincide with a meal. Crisis averted. In practice, if I don't eat and rehydrate shortly after any type of exercise I experience more soreness and fatigue the rest of the day and the next day. Your body may be able to replenish stores in 24 hours with regular diet but why not help it along? Account for the calories and whatever you may track and let your body get down to recovery as quickly as possible. I don't recommend protein shakes or anything like that. Whole, unprocessed food plus water is always best.

Is this going to turn into another chocolate milk meltdown?

With regard to the article, after most of my runs I shower and head straight to work, leaving me with around 2 hours between run and first meal of the day. Hasn't killed me yet.

NBT nailed it with "My evening runs, I eat before as my family does also. When I get back, I shower and then about 20 minutes later, have hot chocolate and oatmeal cookies with my hubby." 

Hot Chocolate and oatmeal cookies are the perfect post exercise recovery drink and fuel.  Whose body wouldn't welcome that combination.?

I drink 8 oz of chocolate milk after my 2-hour long runs because it may aid recovery....but mostly because I like it and it's my reward.